Microsoft Compiled HTML Help
Microsoft Compiled HTML Help is a proprietary format for online Help files, developed by Microsoft and first released in 1997 as a successor to the Microsoft WinHelp format. It was first introduced with the release of Windows 98, and is still supported and distributed through Windows XP and Vista platforms. HTML Help files are made with Help authoring tools. Microsoft ships the Help Workshop with supported versions of Microsoft Windows and makes the tool available as a free download. There are also a number of third-party Help authoring tools available. The Microsoft Reader .LIT file format is basically a modification of the HTML Help CHM format[citation needed]. .chm files are sometimes used for e-books. Most users find the format inconvenient because of its limited compatibility and the extreme difficulty of converting it to any other format without the use of expensive proprietary programs. In 2002, Microsoft announced some security risks associated with the .
